How are martial arts belts typically ranked?

Martial arts belts are typically ranked by color, indicating the level of skill a practitioner has achieved. Each color represents a specific stage in a student’s journey, reflecting their progress and understanding of techniques, forms, and applications in the art they practice. The belt system is designed to provide clear milestones for students as they learn and grow, allowing them to set goals and work towards advancement through different levels. As students learn more and demonstrate improved skills, they advance to higher belt colors, which signify their increased proficiency and experience in their martial art.

In contrast, ranking by experience in combat does not apply universally across all martial arts, as not all practitioners engage in combat. Ranking by age of the practitioner does not reflect the individual's skill or knowledge level, and thus isn't a relevant factor for belt ranking in martial arts. Counting the number of competitions won would emphasize competition success rather than the overall mastery of martial arts techniques, making it an unsuitable system for ranking belts.